Combined transportation and display container



June 11, 1963 J. A. SALAT 3,093,251

COMBINED TRANSPORTATION AND DISPLAY CONTAINER Filed NOV. 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH A 5A LAT BY Mm. 3

June 11, 1963 J. A. SALAT 3,093,261

COMBINED TRANSPORTATION AND DISPLAY CONTAINER Filed Nov. 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 76JJ i 5 6,0 4 /7 j 7' plo /05 95 33 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH A. SALAT BYWQSZLM ATTOQA/E V5 39 is on the level of the rods and 29, the rod 40 is on the level of the rods 21 and and the rod 41 is on the level of the rods 22 and 31. The rod 37 is engaged by hooks 23 and 33, the rod 39 is engaged by hooks 24 and 34a, while the rod 41 is engaged by hooks 35a and 35.

The vertical legs of the frame member 36 may be provided with alined eyelets 42 and 43 located between the rods and 41. These eyelets may be used to hold cords or rods so as to improve the connection of the front wall 14, to better hold the merchandise within the container and to facilitate transportation.

The rear wall 12 is composed of a plurality of interconnected horizontal and vertical rods. The horizontal rods include a top rod 44, a bottom rod 45 and intermediate rods 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53 and 54. The vertical rods include outer rods 55 and 56 and intermediate rods 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 and 62. The arrangement of the horizontal and vertical rods is approximately that of a mesh or gitter, namely, the top rod 44, the intermediate horizontal rods 46, 48, 50, 52 and 54 and the bottom rod 45 are located outside of the container and in alinement with each other. On the other hand, the intermediate horizontal rods 47, 49, 51 and 53 are located inside the container and are also in alinement with each other. Thus the vertical rods 55 to 62 are in alinement with each other, the horizontal rods 47, 49, 51 and 53 being located on the inner side of the vertical rods, while the horizontal rods 46, 43, 50, 52 and 54 are located on the outer side of the vertical rods.

The intermediate horizontal rod 46 is provided with upwardly extending hooks 63 and 64 which engage the rods 18 and 27, respectively. The hook 63 is located between the rod 15a and the adjacent inner vertical leg of the frame member 15. The hook 64 is similarly located between the rod 26a and the adjacent inner vertical leg of the frame member 26. The rod 48 has similar hooks 65 and 66 engaging the rods 19 and 28 and located between rods 15a and 15b, and the rods 26a and 26b, respectively. The rod has similar hooks 67 and 68 engaging the rods 20 and 24. The rod 52 has similar hooks 69 and 70 engaging the rods 21 and 30. The rod 54 has similar hooks 71 and 72 engaging the rods 22 and 31.

Two bent outer transverse rods 73 and 74 are firmly connected to the outer surfaces of the outer rods 46, 48, 50, 52 and 54; and they have diagonal parts extending from the corners toward the center which are thus arranged in a design approximating the letter X. These rods serve the purpose of protecting the rear wall 12 against possible damage during transportation.

A U-shaped outwardly extending bar 75 is firmly connected with the outer vertical rods and 56 and may serve as a bumper or as a handle to facilitate moving the container.

The bottom 13 of the container includes a rectangular frame 76 having rounded corners. A transverse rear portion 76a of the member 76 extends somewhat beyond the rear wall 12 so as to provide a foot rest which makes it convenient for the user to raise the front of the container olf the ground. A second U-shaped frame 77 is located under the frame member 76 in such manner that it extends across the front and along the sides of the container. The frame member 77 extends horizontally, while the frame member 76 is inclined downwardly in the rearward direction towards the rear wall 12, i.e. towards the ends of the legs of the U-shaped member 77. This arrangement helps to avoid the danger that the merchandise might slide out of the container when the front wall 14 is removed. A transverse rod 78 is located between the frame member 76 and 77 directly below the rear wall 12 and is firmly connected with both frame members. Another transverse rod 79 extends parallel and in close proximity to the rod 78 and is firmly connected to the under surfaces of the frame member 77.

The flooring of the bottom 13 is formed essentially by two surfaces which are inclined relatively to each other (following the relative inclinations of the frame members 76 and 77) and each of which is constituted by interconnected longitudinal and transverse rods of varying thicknesses. The rectangular frame member 76 has two comparatively heavy transverse rods 80 and 81 which are attached to the bottom surfaces of the frame member 76. In the example illustrated there are twelve thin longitudinal rods 82 to 94 which have ends attached to the front portion of the rectangular frame member 76. The rods 82 to 94 are firmly connected to the transverse rods 80 and 81 and their rear ends extend between the bottom rod 45 of the rear wall 12 and the transverse rod 78 and are firmly connected to these rods.

The U-shaped frame member 77, in addition to the rear transverse rod 79, carries upon its under surfaces a front transverse rod 95 and two intermediate transverse rods 96 and 97. In the example illustrated there are three L-shaped rods 95', 96' and 97 which form a connection between the two above-described supporting surfaces; each of these rods has a vertical portion firmly connected to the inner surfaces of the frame members 76 and 77 adjacent the front of the container. Furthermore, each of the rods 95', 96' and 97 has a longitudinal horizontal portion firmly connected with the upper surfaces of the transverse rods 95, 96 and 97. The rear ends of the rods 95', 96' and 97 fit between the rods 78 and 79 and are firmly connected thereto.

It is apparent that the actual container bottom supporting the merchandise is constituted by the parallel alined rods 82 to 94, while the underlying structure serves the purpose of protecting the supporting surface from shocks and other damage during transportation.

The container has two wheels 98 and 99 which are located under the rear wall 12 and two front supports 100 and 101. The wheels 98 and 99 are rotatably mounted upon an axle 102 which is held in plates 103 and 104. The plate 103 is attached to a U-shaped support 105 one end of which is firmly connected to the frame members 76 and 77. Furthermore, a U-shaped pin 106 extends around the bolt 17 and is connected to one end of the support 105 as well as to the frame members 76 and 77. The other end of the U-shaped supported 105 is bent outwardly and is also connected to the frame members 76 and 77. The plate 104 is connected in the same manner to a support 107 the ends of which are attached to the frame members 76 and 77. One end of the support 127 is connected to a pin 108 similar to the pin 106. The wheels are protected by a bent bar 109 the ends of which are connected to the supports 105 and 107.

Each of the front supports 100 and 101 has a horizon tal portion which is located upon the ground, a vertical front portion and a diagonally extending rear portion. The upper end of the vertical front portion of the support 100 is firmly connected with the frame members 76 and 77 and is embraced by a U-shaped pin 110 which extends around the bolt v16. The rear portion of the support 100 is also firmly connected to the frame members 76 and 77. The support 101 is connected with the frame members 76 and 77 in the same manner and is engaged by a pin 111. The horizontal ground-engaging portions on the front supports 100 and 101 extends on the level of the bottoms of the wheels 98 and 99, so that all of the walls of the container extend truly vertically when the container rests on the wheels 98 and 99 and the supports .100 and 101.

The use of the described container is apparent from the above description.

The container can be conveniently loaded with any desired merchandise, such as boxes or cases of bottles containing carbonated beverages, coke-containing beverages and the like at the location of their manufacture or packing. The container is implanted firmly upon the ground during loading through the provision of horizontal supports 100 and 101. The loading takes place through the front of the container after the removal of the front door 14 and the merchandise can be piled up to its very top. Then the front door 14 is hooked on and the container is ready to be moved into a truck or car off the truck, into and out of warehouses and into a store. During transportation the foot rest 76a and the handle 75 may be used to raise the supports 100 and 101 off the ground so that the container may be rolled upon the wheels 98 and 99. The merchandise is adequately protected during such transportation by the described construction of the container, including the inclined bottom frame 76, the diagonal rods 25, 32, 73 and 74, the gitter or mesh-shape of the rear wall 12, the use of hooks for interconnecting the walls and the use of bolts for connecting some of the vertical rods of the side walls to the bottom. In a store, the container will adequately serve to display its merchandise to prospective customers.

It is apparent that the example described above has been given solely by way of illustration and not by way of limitation and that it is subject to may variations and modifications within the scope of the present invention. All such variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

A combined transportation and display container comprising a bottom, two side walls, each of said side walls comprising a frame member having the shape of an inverted U, spaced horizontal rods connected to said frame member, and a diagonal rod connected to said horizontal rods; a rear wall; said bottom comprising an upper substantially rectangular frame inclined downwardly in the direction of said rear wall, a lower substantially U-shaped horizontal frame having a transverse portion extending substantially across the front of said container, said upper frame having a transverse portion extending beyond said rear wall, transverse rods carried by the two frames, one of said transverse rods interconnecting the two frames, a plurality of longitudinal rods carried by said upper frame, and a plurality of L-shaped rods having vertical portions connected with the two frames adjacent the front of the container and longitudinal portions connected with the transverse rods carried by the lower frame; means connecting the lower ends of said frame members to said upper frame, said rear wall comprising spaced vertical rods, spaced horizontal rods connected to said vertical rods and transverse rods connected to some of the last-mentioned rods; means connecting the vertical rods of the rear wall to said bottom, means connecting the horizontal rods of the rear wall to said side walls, and a removable front wall comprising a frame member and spaced horizontal rods connected with the last-mentioned frame member, at least some of the horizontal rods of said side walls having hook-shaped ends adapted to engage the horizontal rods of said front wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,531,818 Ryerson Mar. 31, 1925 1,936,164 Jarvis Nov. 21, 1933 2,680,522 Temple June 8, 1954 2,723,863 Mattio Nov. 15, 1955 2,994,441 Browning Aug. 1, 1961 

